1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to calcium fortified beverage compositions and a process of preparing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to ready to drink beverage compositions fortified with a nutritionally significant amount of calcium, using calcium sulfate as the sole source of calcium.
2. Related Background Art
Calcium fortification of both beverages and food products is known in the art. Known calcium fortification techniques employ a variety of calcium sources, in-situ calcium salt formation or adjuvants to enhance dietary calcium utilization.
However, each of the above-identified calcium fortification sources requires pre-blending or high shear mixing to dissolve the calcium source at finished beverage strength. Additionally, each requires pre-dissolution of an organic acid, followed by high shear mixing/dispersion of a poorly soluble calcium source (carbonate, oxide or hydroxide) which is difficult to achieve in a finished beverage strength due to typical manufacturing plant configurations and possibly intermittent harsh local conditions which destroy other fortificants and sensitive flavors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,862 relates to the use of calcium sulfate, preferably in combination with calcium chloride, to improve the solubility of other calcium sources (mainly calcium hydroxide and calcium carbonate), in the presence of significant amounts of edible aids, such as phosphoric and citric acids. The calcium sulfate-chloride combination is said to reduce precipitation and deposition of calcium salts on equipment surfaces during pasteurization.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,082 relates to beverage compositions which are resistant to browning and which contain both added calcium and vitamin C. The compositions therein necessarily contain erythorbic acid and a pH control system to accomplish the improved color stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,793 relates to the calcium fortification of ready-to-drink not-from-concentrate fruit juice beverages that are made by recirculation of juice containing citric and malic acids and addition of a powdered calcium salt in an area of turbulent flow. The powdered calcium sources may include hydroxide, carbonate, lactate, phosphate, sulfate, and mixtures thereof. While calcium sulfate, which is relatively insoluble, is mentioned, it is not proffered as a sole source of calcium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,524 relates to storage stable calcium fortified pre-mixes for beverage concentrate production. Sulfate is listed as one of several possible acidic anions. The pre-mixes also contain citric and malic acids and have a pH less than or equal to 3.5.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,975 relates to mineralized drinking water that contains strontium, magnesium, calcium and lithium ions supplied by water soluble salts such as sulfates. However, the amount of calcium contained in the mineralized water is significantly less than the amount desired in a calcium fortified beverage, considering the recommended daily intake for calcium.
In addition to the various calcium fortification schemes known in the art, there are various compositions that inherently contain significant levels of calcium in addition to other minerals. Mineral water is such a composition. Varo-Galvan and Guillen-Sempere, Alimentaria, No. 284, pp. 53-59 (1997), report the presence of calcium among other minerals in samples of natural spring waters. In addition, CONTREX is a mineral water product marketed in Europe said to contain, inter alia, calcium sulfite. Nutraceuticals Int""l, December 1998, pp. 20-21.
Certain calcium sources are employed in food and/or beverage compositions for purposes other than calcium fortification. For example, a new powdered soy beverage mix, which is marketed as xe2x80x9cnon-mineral and vitamin fortifiedxe2x80x9d, contains calcium sulfate most likely as an anti-caking/flow agent. Further, EP 0 644 727 relates to a psyllium husk (fiber) beverage mix containing a divalent cation salt of a strong inorganic acid, such as calcium sulfate. The anhydrous calcium sulfate appears to stabilize the fiber against caking in the dry mix and to act as a flow agent.
In contrast to the above-mentioned art, the invention described and claimed in the present application relates to the use of calcium sulfate as a sole source to fortify a ready to drink beverage composition, in particular purified water. It has been discovered that use of calcium sulfate provides both a distinct taste and beverage making process advantages as compared with other commonly employed chemical forms or salts of calcium.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention are shown from the description below. The disclosures of the publications cited above and throughout this specification are incorporated in their entirety to more fully describe the invention and to demonstrate the state of the art.
This invention provides a ready to drink beverage composition containing a nutritionally significant amount of calcium provided by calcium sulfate.
This invention also provides a process for producing a calcium fortified beverage composition which comprises:
(a) combining a ready to drink beverage and calcium sulfate to form a solution; and
(b) preserving the solution to form the calcium fortified beverage composition.
This invention further provides a method of providing a nutritionally significant amount of calcium to a subject comprising administering to a subject a calcium fortified beverage composition according to this invention.